


All the Little Witches, Sitting in a Tree: S-P-Y-I-N-G

by ninjakitty



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: A little exaggerated but mostly cannon compliant, Comedy, Everyone ships Diana and Akko, F/F, Gen, Mostly., Oneshot, not in the Shakespeare sense unfortunately :P
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-11-17 04:37:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11268093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninjakitty/pseuds/ninjakitty
Summary: Diana left Luna Nova to claim her birthright, and Akko tried to stop her. There was a big row, blah blah... But what was everyone else up to during their standoff at the Tower?(Gay shenanigans, that's what. Gay shipping shenanigans.)





	All the Little Witches, Sitting in a Tree: S-P-Y-I-N-G

“Sucy, hurry up, we're going to lose her!”

Huffing, Lotte tried to keep Akko in view as they darted through the forest, her short legs scrambling across the uneven terrain. Akko was sprinting ahead at a breakneck pace, clearly determined to get somewhere.

With only the moon lighting her way, Lotte was amazed that Akko hadn’t tripped or run into a tree yet.  

“Do we really have to follow her all the way out here.” Sucy trailed behind somewhat, not eager to be out. “Akko will tell us what happened when she gets back.”

“I know, but--” Lotte stumbled over a root, somehow staying upright. “--did you see her face when she ran by us? Something is really wrong this time.”

Running out of energy, Lotte was forced to slow to a stop, bending double as she gasped for breath. By the time she raised her head, Akko was long gone.

“Ahhhh she’s so fast!” Lotte sighed. They’d never catch up to her now.

“We’re pretty close to the Tower,” Sucy mused, gliding to a stop beside Lotte’s hunched form. She was barely even out of breath. “She's probably headed there.”

Lotte nodded, straightening up determinedly. “Okay, let’s go.”

After what felt like ages, the two made it into sight of the tower’s base just in time to see the heavy door swing shut.

“And now she’s going up! What could Akko be doing?” Poor Lotte was red from exertion, not used to so much running around.

Sucy squinted up towards the sky, her gaze coming to rest at the broom-deck near the very top of the tower. There was a figure standing near the edge, illuminated by a small fairie lantern.

“Hey, isn't that Diana?”

***

“I'm going to miss Diana so much!”

“I'm gonna miss her too!”

Bawling, Hannah and Barbara clung to each other. From their branch high in the crown of an old oak tree, they had a clear view of Diana at the top of the Tower.

“She’s so brave, I could never do what she’s doing.” Hannah stared up at Diana, eyes shining. “Standing there on her own must take such strength.”

“I don’t know what we’re going to do when she’s gone,” Barbara sniffed, moving to wipe her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. Hannah wordlessly pulled out a handkerchief, handing it over. “I hope she’s going to be okay.”

“At least we can still see her off, even if she doesn’t know it.”

Barbara blew her nose loudly. “Yeah.”

The two of them looked at each other, trying to stay confident. It didn’t even last a second before they both burst into a fresh round of sobbing.

“I’m still going to miss her!”

“Me too!”

Suddenly, there was a sharp crack. Barbara jumped, startled out of her tears.

“Don’t grab that branch, it’s dead.”

“You could have told me that beforehand!”

Hannah and Barbara exchanged befuddled glances. Peering around the trunk, they gaped at the intruders who had somehow clambered up without their noticing.

“How are you so good at climbing anyways?” Lotte panted as she struggled to make it to the next handhold. Sucy was already perched farther up, having had no difficulty making it to the top.

“Lots of mushrooms grow in trees.”

“What are  _ you two _ doing here?” Hannah snapped, anger swiftly replacing her previous sadness.

“We were following Akko,” Lotte said, slowly struggling her way up.

“She went into the tower in a really big hurry, and we assumed that she was going up to talk to Diana.” Sucy reached down to lend Lotte a hand, Lotte having at last made it to the other three’s level. Lotte accepted with a grateful look. “We didn't want to climb all the stairs, so we figured we'd watch from below.”

“You guys picked a really nice spot, you can see everything from here.” Lotte spoke brightly, settling happily against the sturdy trunk.

“Akko’s going up there?” Barbara asked faintly.

Hannah and Barbara swiveled around just in time to see a second, smaller figure emerge onto the platform.

“Akko can’t be up there!” Hannah exploded, nearly falling out of her seat in rage.

“This is something Diana has to do alone!”

“IT’S TRADITION!”

“SHE’S NOT ALLOWED!”

In a neighboring tree, there was a flash of pink and orange as Amanda poked her head above the leaves.

“Keep it down you guys, the show’s about to start!”

“ _ WHAT THE HELL?! _ ”

***

Ursula gazed up at where Akko stood trying to get Diana’s attention.

Ursula had known Akko would be at the tower tonight. Diana was leaving Luna Nova, and convention dictated that she was to depart alone in the midst of the witching hour, from the highest launch. Diana would follow tradition, and Akko, even not knowing tradition, would follow Diana. That much was clear from how Akko had interrogated her in the hallway earlier this evening.

High up in the maple where she sat waiting, Ursula felt herself grow tense. Her hands tightened on the branch below her.

Akko’s distress showed Diana meant more to her than just a rival. She hadn’t seen it at first, but tonight made it obvious that Ursula had misjudged their relationship, at least Akko’s side of it. Even now, she was still shaken by the hurt from Akko’s earlier expression, heart panging in empathy.

She felt herself glaze over as her mind drifted to the past.

“Oh my, this is about to become interesting isn’t it?”

Startled, Ursula only narrowly avoided toppling out of the tree by grabbing an overhead branch.

“He- Headmistress! Where did you come from?”

Miranda chuckled. “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. I’m merely here to see Miss Cavendish off; none of our other professors would dare break convention, you know, but I always try to be here for my pupils.”

“That’s. Very sweet of you,” Ursula said, a note of surprise coloring her tone.

“And I couldn’t  _ not _ come tonight,” Miranda went on, sweeping off her hat to reveal a small fishbowl nestled underneath. “Pisces promised there would be plenty of drama, and we can’t miss out on that!”

“Pisces is here too?!”

The goldfish professor burbled serenely in her bowl.

Sighing in mild exasperation, Ursula leaned back and turned her face skyward.

It got quiet, as the three teachers watched Diana and Akko. They appeared to be having a heated discussion, their postures closed and defensive.

“I’m worried about them.” Miranda shot a glance over at Ursula. She hadn’t taken her eyes off the scene above, and could almost have been talking to the heavens.

“Akko especially,” Ursula went on. “Diana... Diana’s leaving. It’s already such a blow, for all of us, but Akko was completely blindsided. I don’t--”

She stopped, took a breath. There was no outward change, but it was like someone dimmed the light in her.

“I don’t know if she’s going to be okay.”

“You know, I’m not worried about them at all.”

Ursula blinked, snapping back into focus. “Eh?”

“Despite the trouble, I'm not worried,” Miranda spoke thoughtfully, removing the fishbowl from where it balanced on her head. Settling it gently in her lap, Miranda contemplated the glass as if she could scry the future from it. “Those girls have a strong bond. Whatever problem there is, I know that they’ll be able to work through it.”

“Oh.”

Up above, the argument was getting heated, and Akko waved her arms around furiously as she tried to get some point across to the English witch. Others might have brushed her off and flown away, but Diana was doing the opposite, actively engaging as she returned Akko’s increasingly frustrated volleys.

A small smile crossed Ursula’s face. “I suppose you’re right.”

Miranda hmmed in satisfaction. Then a playful twinkle crossed her eye.

“It’s funny, I actually recall sitting here and watching you and Croix argue in much the same way. It was most entertaining.”

“EEHHH?!”

“OOOHhohoho~”

***

“Well, Diana’s leaving tonight, right? I figured we could camp out and watch the show, it beats sitting in our room all night.”

Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka had joined the others at the top of the oak, which was starting to feel pretty crowded.

“I can’t believe this.” Hannah was fuming. “None of you are supposed to even be here!”

“Well, you and Barbara are here,” Lotte pointed out.

Hannah flipped her ponytail in a huff. “Yeah, but we’re Diana’s friends, so we have the right to spy on her.”

“What do you mean, ‘watch the show?’” Barbara inquired at Amanda. Barbara was still miffed, but it was tempered by her noticeable curiosity. Amanda regarded her in surprise.

“Any time Diana does something, Akko is always there with some sort of opinion. I mean, it was obvious that Akko was going to follow her tonight.” 

She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, gesturing up to where Diana and Akko were having some sort of stand-off at the top of the tower. “I’m all about the drama and gay. I thought y’all were here for the same thing.”

“Not at first, we just followed Akko when she took off,” Sucy said.

“Popcorn?”

“Sure.” Sucy reached over for the bag Jasminka was offering.

“Ga-- Drama?” Hannah spluttered, an indignant flush spreading across her cheeks. Amanda grinned lopsidedly.

“Yeah, drama, like a soap-opera couple’s fight.”

“They aren’t a couple!”

Amanda waved her off. “They might as well be. They’re really cute together. And I know I'm not the only one who sees their connection.”

Amanda looked over to Constanze for confirmation, who solemnly nodded back.

“What?!”

“It’s true!” Lotte piped up, leaning over excitedly. “Akko and Diana definitely have sparks flying between them! Their relationship actually reminds me of these characters in Nightfall, because it parallels book one-seventeen where the audience realizes that Arthur is only being so argumentative--”

“--because he doesn’t know how to tell Edgar his true feelings!” Barbara stared at Lotte in awe, revelation written across her face. Lotte beamed at her.

“Isn’t it just perfect?”

“It is, I can’t believe I never noticed before! Oh my goodness, there was this one time, Diana was acting  _ exactly _ like Edgar in book two twenty-nine when he…”

“You have got to be kidding me.” Hannah said blankly, completely dumbfounded as Barbara and Lotte chattered excitedly to each other.

“Just go with it.” Sucy scooted over until she was next to Hannah. “There’s no keeping up with Lotte when she starts talking like that. As for Akko and Diana… if there’s something there, it’s up to them to figure out, but we should support them no matter what. That's what friends are for. Popcorn?”

Hannah made a weird expression, glancing first at the proffered snack, then at Sucy, then up to Diana and Akko. 

After a moment, she smiled, reaching for the bag.

“Yeah, okay.”

***

“Did you often watch us up at the tower?!”

“Goodness yes, many times, it was so engaging when you two quarreled.” Miranda guffawed fondly at the memory. “It reminded me of all those vampire-romance novels Samantha is always reading.”

“I can’t believe this.”

“Pisces and I actually had a running bet on which of you would cave first. Fishie here is a shrewd gambler, let me tell you!” Miranda winked and nudged Ursula conspiratorially, hooting with laughter as Ursula’s face flamed.

“Oh my Goddess,” Ursula muttered, mortified, glasses getting pushed akimbo as she slumped her head into her hands. She could practically feel her cheeks burning through her palms.

“So how  _ are _ things going with Croix anyways? You two still got a thing, or~~~?”

“NO!!!”

***

Ranting, Akko gesticulated wildly with her arms as she paced across the landing strip. What started out as a face-off had evolved into a full-on verbal sparring match, the two debating heatedly as the chilly night breeze ruffled across the platform.

The argument had just turned in Akko’s favor out of sheer mulishness; it seemed like every time Diana tried to get a word in, Akko would interrupt in a flurry of angry chatter. Judging from how tightly Diana gripped her broom, it was starting to grate on her nerves.

“My, Akko certainly knows how to get under Diana’s skin,” Sucy cackled in delight.

“I’ve never seen Diana get so rattled by someone else.” Hannah relaxed back against Sucy as she directed her lenses skyward, feet casually propped up against the bark of the trunk. “Just look at her face!”

“She looks like an insulted peacock... Constanze, these binoculars are amazing!”

“You can see everything so clearly!”

Constanze beamed shyly at Barbara and Lotte’s praise, handing her most recently completed pair up to where Amanda sat with Jasminka in the limb above.

“Thanks,” Amanda said, cleaning the glass with her shorts before holding it up to her face. She fiddled with the focus. “Now if only we could rig up something to hear them with, then this would be perfect.”

“Just make something up. Hey Jas, got any more food?” Jasminka bobbed her head, tossing an unopened bag of chips at Sucy, who handed it to Constanze.

“’I can’t believe you, Diana! How could you leave without saying goodbye?’” Lotte suddenly burst out, waving an arm theatrically.

Barbara, instantly picking up on Lotte’s cue, turned up her nose in an obvious impersonation of Diana.

“’I have important duties to attend to, Akko; there is no time for farewells.’”

“’Not even for me? My heart is breaking!’”

“’Don’t you dare lie, you never even would have missed me! You can barely stand the sight of me!’”

“’Don’t lie? Fine! If you want  the truth, then you’ll get it!” Lotte pretended to swoon, flinging an arm around Barbara’s shoulders as she dramatically flopped backwards over the other girls lap.

Above, Akko stomped a foot, face red as she talked inches away from Diana, who was struggling to keep her cool expression.

“’Diana… I love you!’”

There was a beat of silence. Then Barbara gasped in astonishment, locking eyes with Lotte, and they held each other’s gaze breathlessly.

Barbara’s lips twitched. Lotte snorted, and suddenly it was too much to keep their composure, the two collapsing in a fit of giggles.

The rest of the girls roared with laughter, hysterical at how accurately the two mimicked the scene above.

“I’m. _ Dying _ ,” Hannah wheezed, tears streaming down her face as she clutched at her stomach, curling up against Sucy’s side.

Sucy herself was crowing as freely as anyone had ever seen her, she and Constanze braced against each other for support as they doubled over. “You two have their personalities down  _ cold _ .”

Constanze nearly sprayed out an entire mouthful of chip crumbs as Amanda tumbled off her branch, howling with glee as she dangled from her knees. At the sight of the hysterical upside-down witch, Lotte and Barbara completely lost it, not even making it all the way upright from their earlier fit before having to cling to each other again.

“Man, that was priceless,” Amanda sniffed, wiping at her eyes with the heel of her hand. “I almost thought they were actually talking.”

“Hehe, thank you.” Lotte smiled proudly. Sitting up, she clasped Barbara’s hand, causing the girl to jump slightly in surprise. “And thank you so much for going along with me! It was exciting to act with someone else.”

“No- no problem!”

“Hey,” Hannah said, still hiccupping slightly, binoculars planted firmly back on her face, “I think Akko finally wore her down.”

“What?” Amanda wiggled in an effort to get back on the branch. Jasminka offered to help pull her up, and the two grasped forearms as Amanda scrambled her way to sitting, grabbing her binoculars. “Lemmie see!”

Diana was done waiting, having had it with Akko’s endless tirade. Drawing herself up, she stamped her broom on the deck, causing the lantern to swing wildly and making Akko jump in shock. Stepping forward with narrow eyes, Diana braced her hand on her hip and bent down –so close that their noses were almost touching—into Akko’s face in order to snap out a retort. The swaying light cast a halo around them and Akko gulped, to the delighted whoops of those watching down below.

“Whooo get it Diana!”

“Goddess, Akko, just go for it!” Amanda yelled out.

They all groaned dejectedly as Akko backed off, Diana straightening haughtily as her poised mask slipped back into place.

“Aw, I really thought were getting somewhere that time."

Sucy shrugged, unsurprised. “They’re too stubborn for their own good.”

“This is ridiculous!” Amanda sprang up from her seat in frustration, cupping her hands around her mouth:

“JUST KISS ALREADY!!!”

***

Face as bright as her hair, Ursula was casting her mind desperately for a change in topic when she heard a commotion coming from the other side of the clearing.

Embarrassment forgotten, she stared in bafflement at the scene across from them.

“Are there students in that tree?”

***

“LOOK THEY'RE SO CLOSE just let me fly up and push them together a little.”

“Noooooo you'll ruin the moment!” Barbara booed good-naturedly, Hannah giggling as she threw popcorn at Amanda in solidarity.

“AHHHH I CAN’T TAKE IT!”

Amanda lunged for her broom, only to be halted abruptly as Lotte pounced, wrapping her arms around Amanda’s waist. Amanda stretched desperately with one hand for her broom, which Jasminka was holding up just out of range.

“Amanda, you can’t force plot development, it has to unfold naturally!”

“Yeah? Watch me!” Amanda growled, struggling to pry off the clinging girl. Lotte screwed up her face and hugged tighter, Hannah and Barbara cheering her on.

“You tell her Lotte,” Sucy called, amused at everyone’s high-spirits. She popped another chip in her mouth. “You know, I had my doubts, but coming out here was actually worth it.”

Beside her, Constanze grinned in agreement.

***

The professors watched the unfolding scuffle in bemusement. It wasn’t hard to tell who was up there; there was only one group of girls who could be that rambunctious.

“Um, should we do something…?”

“They’re not causing any harm. Let’s let them have their fun. It’s not a good night to let sadness linger.”

Pisces, bowl now tucked securely in a fork in the bough, swished her fins approvingly.

***

Sensing something, Constanze turned to scan the forest. Squinting her eyes, she reached over and tugged at Sucy’s sleeve.

Sucy looked down at the sensation before glancing over to where Constanze was pointing, holding up her binoculars for a better view.

“Hey.” Sucy flapped a sleeve at the others, trying to get their attention. “Are those our professors?”

***

“Ho ho, I wonder if the girls are here to spy on Akko and Diana like we are!”

“Headmistress, please...”

Ursula sighed as Miranda elbowed the younger witch in the ribs mirthfully. She looked back up to the tower.

The platform sat empty in the moonlight, completely deserted; there was no movement other than the blink of the landing lights.

Diana had finally flown off.

“Oh my, we must have missed her leaving.” Ursula exhaled in disappointment. They had been so caught up in the events over at the other tree, they had stopped paying attention to the two in the tower.

Wait.

“Where did Akko go? Diana wouldn’t have taken her, and she can’t fly back on her own…” Ursula trailed off, eyes widening.

Headmistress and professor looked at each other in trepidation.

“Oh dear.”

***

Amanda had finally stopped struggling, eyeing the maple doubtfully. “What would the professors even be doing out here this time of night.”

The rest of the group scrambled up, balancing at the tops of the branches.

“I see them!”

“Which ones are they?” Hannah asked suspiciously, craning her neck in an effort get a better glimpse.

“There’s too many leaves, I can’t make out who they are.”

Sucy smirked, poking at Lotte. “They probably came to watch Diana and Akko; they ship it as much as you two.”

“Hah, I don’t think that’s true…”

“I can’t tell if they’re spotted us!”

“We should go before we get caught.”

“Why are you all sitting up here?”

Everyone froze. Slowly, the girls turned to stare at the new speaker poking her head above the canopy.

Lotte swallowed apprehensively. “Oh, hi Akko!”

***

“There, she’s climbed up to the others!”

“I think we can just stay hidden in the foliage, I doubt they’ll spot us…”

“Escape while she’s distracted!”

Ursula had barely blinked before Miranda disappeared from beside her, leaping from limb to limb with astonishing speed.

“Wha--” A small bubble sounded on the branch next to her. “YOU FORGOT PISCES!”

Hurriedly snagging the bowl, Ursula cradled it awkwardly under one arm and tried to shimmy her way down the branches.

“Come on, we don’t want to get caught!”

“How are you already on the ground?!”

Groping with her foot for the next branch, Ursula felt her weight shift abruptly. With a crack, the wood lurched beneath her, and her hand slipped from its hold.

“GYAH!” She toppled backwards, arms pinwheeling out instinctively. Pisces plummeted from her grasp.

Sweeping off her hat, Miranda held it in front of her just in time to expertly catch the fishbowl before it could shatter on the ground, not spilling a single drop.

Swishing out her other hand, she murmured a spell as Ursula crashed through the lower branches.

Instead of hitting the dirt like she expected, Ursula found herself smashing into a fluffy pink cloud, stunned as the impact completely knocked the wind out of her.

“No time to waste! Move over!” Miranda hopped up next to a still dazed Ursula, placing her hat squarely on her head. The cloud dipped under the added weight, but remained hovering, and with another muttered incantation was sent flying through the forest.

Ursula cracked open an eye at the motion.

“Why didn’t we just take the cloud in the first place?”

“I thought this way would be more fun,” Miranda dimpled, a cheerful glint in her eye.

Ursula groaned, flopping her head down in defeat as the three sped their way back to the castle.

***

Akko blinked owlishly as she took in the guilty faces of the girls.

“What’cha guys doing?” She looked around at the setup. “Are you birdwatching or something?”

“Watching? Of- of course not!” Hannah laughed nervously. “You can’t see anything out here so late!”

Amanda casually hid her binoculars behind her back, nudging at Jasminka to do the same.

"We were just--"

“On a nighttime picnic!”

"Looking at the stars!"

"Spellcasting!"

"Practicing climbing in the dark!"

"Secretly on dates with each other and just happened to meet up!"

The babble stopped as everyone looked at the last speaker, who immediately clapped her hands over her mouth.

"…Barbara, what the hell."

“Uh… okay…” Akko studied the others, eyebrows knit in perplexion, before her expression cleared and she smiled happily. “I don’t really know what’s going on, but you guys sound like you’re having fun!”

“Yeah, we’re having a blast.” Amanda said.

Hannah nodded slowly, looking slightly surprised at the realization. “We are… I’m having a great time. I don’t know why we haven’t hung out with all of you sooner.”

“Because you thought we were inferior witches,” Sucy muttered, and Hannah flushed.

“Well. Well not anymore!”

Everyone dissolved into laughter at the defensive looks on the two’s faces.

“Ah, we’re just messing with you,” Amanda chuckled, gently punching Hannah in the arm. “You two are alright.”

“Oh good,” Barbara sighed in relief as Lotte patted her knee reassuringly.

“Awww.” Akko was pouting a little. “I missed out on all the bonding.”

“It’s okay Akko!” Lotte spoke supportively. “We’ll do it again when you’re not so busy.”

“When I’m not so--That’s right!” Akko shot up in alarm as she remembered. “I have to go talk to Professor Ursula right away!”

Akko dropped suddenly out of sight, and the sounds of snapping twigs and shaking leaves drifted up as Akko scurried through the branches.

There was a muffled thud at the base of the trunk. Everyone peered down as Akko hurriedly dusted the grit from her uniform, and took off running through the trees.

Lotte and Sucy exchanged sheepish looks.

“We’d probably better make sure she’s okay,” Lotte said, moving to climb down.

“It’s been fun.” Sucy handed the empty chip bag to Constanze, hopping off the branch. “See ya.”

“Mm!” Constanze gestured for them to wait, tipping her head at Jasminka. Jasminka tossed Sucy the broom she had been holding, not even pausing from her snack.

“Hey, that’s mine!”

“We’ll return it later.  _ Tia Freyre _ !”

The broom lifted under Sucy, and she hovered in place as Lotte quickly mounted behind her.

Lotte waved as they started to rise above the trees. “Bye everyone!”

“Bye!”

“Don’t crash my broom!”

Constanze and Jasminka waved their arms farewell.

“Goodbye… Lotte!” Barbara called, unexpectedly standing up and cupping a hand to project her voice. “Let’s get together again soon!”

Lotte’s face lit up. “Yeah!” The wind snatched away the rest of her response, but Lotte was grinning hugely as the broom sped off into the distance.

Suddenly conscious of everyone looking at her, Barbara awkwardly sat back down.

Amanda raised an eyebrow. A faint blush dusted over Barbara’s cheeks as she smoothed her skirt back over her lap. Looking over at Lotte’s retreating form, a slow, mischievous smirk spread across her face.

“So,” Amanda said casually, resting an elbow on Barbara’s shoulder and leaning in on her fist. She winked at Hannah, who was suppressing a grin. “Secretly on a date, huh? I bet you had someone in mind when you blurted that one out~”

“You shut up!”

Amanda’s laughter echoed loudly through the night, and in that moment, everything felt like it was going to be just fine.

“I already regret hanging out with you guys.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't get this idea on my own: I would like to thank [genderless_scientist](http://archiveofourown.org/users/genderless_scientist/pseuds/genderless_scientist) , for letting me take this one over. Incidentally, they just posted a new LWA work (it's about time you nerd), so go check 'em out! :D


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